How to Grow Pygmy Date Palm || Phoenix roebelenii Houseplant Care

One of my favorite houseplant palm trees! Growing pygmy date palms indoors is quite easy given a few simple requirements are met for the plant. How to grow phoenix roebelenii is not too hard. These houseplants like a nice bright location with occasional watering and love some warmth if you have a sun room. I've been asked about how to grow pygmy date palms many times and I'm happy to finally dive into their care. The most important thing to note with these plants is the troubleshooting. Pygmy date palms spotting on leaves, yellowing and brown tips are all common issues that are usually easily fixed. Pygmy date palms with brown tip is probably the most common and this is generally linked to dry soil and/or air.
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[@InkpadsPlaypad]

Sure. I am here about the palms....but mostly i am here cause i am a Tropical Plant Party fangirl. 😋 ❤ another great video

[@TropicalPlantParty]

😂🤣 thank you!

[@ThePlantUtopia]

This is the easiest palm I have ever grown. I bought mine in a grocery store 10 years ago and I could hold it in one hand. Now it is big, not as big as yours. I just slide it in my 3 season room here in Ohio in the winter and it is happy. I have never fertilized it since I got it and it still looks beautiful. Maybe I will do that next summer and see if it gets bigger. I let it grow outside in the summer. Yours is a beauty by the way.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you! They really are great! I love that they are a trunked palm which can last such a long time indoors!

[@theallenshire268]

Thank you!! I have been trying to research date palms this evening for a couple hours and I learned so much more from your video than any others I watched tonight.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thanks, Allen! I try my best to be thorough and combine personal experience with just the facts/basics for each plant. Do you have one? They are fun palms!

[@theallenshire268]

@@TropicalPlantParty No not yet. We were eating some dates this evening and wondered what it would take to grow them. Sounds like we would be able to in a greenhouse. I think we would like to give it a try. Fast growing trees. Com has them for sale and we would get several so we can hope for both genders. Yours really looks amazing against that bright White House which helps with light and warmth I am sure. Good spot to plant it!

[@stuarthatcher9944]

I'm happy I just got one

[@TropicalPlantParty]

They are great!

[@leosanchez1719]

Thanks for the tips!!! I’m a new owner of a Palm and there have been some learning curves!! Be well and thanks again.

[@dannyboii9117]

I love the clumping ones ❤. This was the palm I initially wanted but didn't get. Maybe another time❤.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Always time for more plants! One day!

[@leosanchez1719]

Thank you so much my friend!!! ,so very informative and insightful. I’m a new pigmy palm tree owner. Be well!!

[@chrystalsabin4091]

I love all of your palms.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you Chrystal!

[@verniebowman1017]

Thank you for the information can you separate the small sucklingsfrom the main plant

[@debrabrown7227]

Hi Jeff, I’m in my element, my favourite palm, I have known them to grow next to ponds. I don’t have one now as they are expensive in U.K., but it’s on my list😁. Thanks so much for sharing your information about this palm. Take care of yourself.🇬🇧🐾🐶😁🌈

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Really? With all the tree ferns and yuccas, I figured they would be cheaper over there. That's weird! Maybe they just don't cultivate as well near the uk so shipping drives the cost up.

[@sheilabroad8192]

Can’t get anymore tropical than that. 🌴. In my dreams... my lottery dreams. 😜.

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Haha! They are great aren't they?

[@canvasofclouds354]

🌿 very Beautiful video ! Many thanks !👏

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you!

[@twistysunshine]

Ooo im glad theyre a nice house palm! Its hard to get palms you can really enjoy if you dont have some land to put em in

[@TropicalPlantParty]

So true! A nice compact pygmy palm!

[@okpalms1]

awesome! we are in zone 7a Okc, Oklahoma and grow some windmills, Mediterranean and a sabal in the ground

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I've seen online some of the awesome plants growing in Oklahoma!

[@okpalms1]

@@TropicalPlantParty yes, but i have no idea why more people/places aren't growing them. The okc zoo has several windmills and sabal minor of course. Only met a few others that have large palms here.

[@tessalia87]

My pigmy date palm 🌴has native cabbage palm ferns 🌿and resurrection ferns 🌿sprouting from the upper trunk area where old palm fronds were removed (Zone 9B) giving it more character!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I love when I see the ferns growing on the date palms, looks so cool!

[@GrowingSouth]

I luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuvvvvv my pygmy dates! Best little feather frond palm you can get IMO. lol

[@TropicalPlantParty]

They are great! Mine is kinda an ugly one, but I still love it. 😂🤣

[@GrowingSouth]

@@TropicalPlantParty Its not ugly! soooo much TRUNK! lol

[@sandorspalms]

Awesome video! Love the Phoenix Roebelenii 😃👍🌴

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Me too! Thank you!

[@MrMoneyMan-zv8uk]

The Phoenix roebelenii is my favorite

[@sandorspalms]

@@MrMoneyMan-zv8uk Yeah they are great!

[@mr.spirofucci1493]

Your informational are the best!!! I live in deep South Texas and have had up to 15 of these in the ground. I love them except trimming time!!!😮

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Ha! Thank you! Exactly! Trimming time is not so fun, lots of spines!

[@GotoHere]

Do you think they can grow in San Antonio area?

[@mr.spirofucci1493]

@@GotoHere do more research but I'll bet they will be fine!😊

[@jimmazzochi9122]

Great video, thank you !!!! I got mine long time ago, ad it was in the house (not so healthy) mealy bugs, yellowing leaves... I did not have any more patient for it ! Put it outside for the south-east side of the house, never looked it for awhile. And just before the frost, I got all plants into the garage, I passed by this (once ugly) Roebelenii, and I couldn't believe my eyes, it where so beautiful !!!! Now it is inside, looks absolutely regal !!! Now I had to see, how I can keep this incredible beauty to be the same in long terms ...???? I really enjoyed your knowledge and your very informative VIDEO !!!!

[@giedre8921]

I adore dates, both to eat them and as plants. I started growing them from a seed, I hope to have a tree after 10 years.

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Hey Jeff. Great info as always. This palm and the coconut palm are just the essence of exotic for me. Beautiful palms. Gonna buy one in the sprong. I'm a 9a winter here. Fingers crossed for me keeping it alive. Cheers 👍

[@TropicalPlantParty]

If anyone can do it, it's you! Would be a beautiful addition to your gorgeous garden!

[@hanafri8]

Your Roebelenii looks so healthy, and beautiful. You must have a lot of moisture in your area.

[@hanafri8]

I've recently decided to remove the base my potted Roebelenii so that I never have to repot, and also to prevent it from getting too much rain during our wet winter season, which is our rain season here in Cape Town SA. Drilling out the thick base of an allready planted up pot was quite a hard job, and there was a lot of shaking and moving of the pot,and palm, it took about an hour to complete the job. There was also some damage to the roots which were growing out of the drainage holes when the pot was toppled,also some root disturbance,when we remove the drainage pebbles, some soil also fell out. I did put a heap of compost on top of the soil where the pot stood to replace the void which developed after removing the drainage pebbles. Now a month after it was done, I see that the plant have had some shock, because there's some dry, and brown leaves coming from the new fronds (spikes). Luckily not the whole Spike. I now regret doing it. It was done in our Spring. I'm so afraid now that I will lost my palm. I did water it very thorough afterwards, and keep it damp. Do you think it will recover again? I will also never know whether the compos filled all of the spaces between the soil and the pot, and what can happened if it didn't.

[@bencunningham6298]

Moderate to fast sounds about right. I don't have trunk on mine yet but it's putting new chutes off almost weekly even in our 7a region. Those spines will catch you by surprise when you reach your hand in there haha

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I agree. They are commonly categorized as slow growers but ive seen so many of them put on a few feet of trunk within just a few years. For a plant that stays under 12ft that's decent growth.

[@Tbone1725]

I’m also in zone 7a, over the winter my roebelenii experienced drought and got really bad sun burn. There is new growth, but it’s half and half, half is green and fine, some are dried out, and some of the branches are half dried out and half green. All of my other palms (Mediterranean, Mexican and windmill fan palms, bottle palm), are doing great. Any tips on how to get my roebelenii on track again? Thanks!

[@bencunningham6298]

@@Tbone1725 I'm going through this as well. I'm not sure mine is sunburn though since it has gotten less sun recently haha. I threw it outside those 70 plus days, fertilized it and it seems to be rebounding but time will tell. I wish I could say I had the same success with as you with my other palms, if it doesn't warm up fast Im not sure our Christmas palms will make it to our backyard beach this summer.

[@michellepollino4986]

Awesome plant!

[@roseladd6402]

🌴pretty Palm tree!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

One of my faves!

[@BushImports]

That's a nice looking tree, I was just thinking about ordering some seed to grow some of them to sell and maybe keep one or so for myself, thanks man.

[@cynthiarobinson9854]

Absolutely beautiful, Jeff! 🌱

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you, Cynthia!

[@s.m.create5112]

I love palms,🌴🌴🌴🌴. Every palms 🌴🌴 How about the Areca palm?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Me too! My favorites! I have a video on areca palms, but it is a few years old so I can't say it's very good quality. 😂🤣

[@s.m.create5112]

I like to collect different species of palms they are best they don't have any problems when temperatures go above 110⁰F

[@sandyg8794]

Hi Jeff! That is such a pretty palm! Even though yours has been through a lot, it still looks good with all of the care you've given it. I was going to ask if the nursery guarantees your palms, but I see that you answered that question below. It's good that they do that. I'd love to have one of these, but as with other plants I'd like to have, they would get too big and I'm not sure if I have enough light for them. Maybe some day..... Thank you so much for sharing!

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Hi sandy! They do take up some space. Especially when they are smaller. Eventually they get tall enough that the foliage is above everything, but that takes many years.

[@flamboyant731]

what a cute video! thank you ❤

[@moniqueking5]

So excited! I just bought one today from the hardware store 😀 now I really can’t wait for summer ♥️🌴😎

[@thongtrecaygiongongnai9591]

Thanks

[@Scorpalicious_1111]

Great video. Thanks!

[@wishingonthemoon1]

Holy cow that’s huge!!! I have two right now, both of them with only two leaves haha. One is doing well and one is not. Trying to figure out how to prevent the crispy tips I’m getting. I have them in separate locations, one in one apartment and one in my other apartment. Maybe it’s the watering schedule? We’ll see. I want to repot them, because I got them as gifts grown from the seed and I think they need new soil, but I heard they are difficult to repot successfully because they have such delicate roots. Edit: I have to de-calcify my water, so maybe they started their grow period with too much calcium?

[@bobbiechinn9578]

U have a beautiful place there! I was trying to get a better look at ur other plants lol. Is that a blooming dieffenbachia I saw? I have never heard of them blooming.

[@tinker123541]

Ok I thought I was a tropical grower in my backyard but you take the cake 👍👍😍😍gorgeous backyard I’m jelly ! I love my palms I buy all kinds every year and bring some in during the winter ( robellini being one of them) I have I baby one that when I went away didn’t get enough water ☹️and seems to be dying . I would love to bring him back to life. Any suggestions?Do you think the product black magic would be a good fertilizer for the palm?

[@pretty95138]

very helpful video..I just repotted it 2 weeks back so my robellini palm (pygmy date palm) has enough fertilizer and good soil. Its sitting in shade in my balcony. But now i see whiteness all under the leaves and in the center. Its more like scales. It feels rough..i can scratch it. And i also see threads growing at the base of fronds. Is my palm infested. Please help. I am a beginning and this is my first plant ..thanks so much.

[@NinjaOrchids]

Love the palm tree 😍 but I did notice something on the facade of the house... is that a cast iron clock? So many years watching you and its the first time I noticed it ... very beautiful 😍 and crabs? 😀

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Yes it is😊 has been there for years and has been broken the entire time😂🤣

[@HoneyBee-zh9zw]

I just bought one 2weeks ago, I'm having second thoughts as I view more and more videos about having bought this plant. These plants have so many names and I'm so confused because they were saying these plants are very dangerous because of thier spikes and high maintenance because of having to keep them pruned because of their scales and God forbid I got a fruit one because they attract rodents, omg what did I get myself into😳😳😳😮‍💨😤😤

[@tre4021]

Can i grow this beautiful thing indoors with almost no direkt sunlight?? 🙄

[@msmndz5776]

Great video and thanks for sharing. Can you tell me the name of the green and yellow plant with hot pink 🌸 flowers or where can I purchase one from?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

Thank you! Those are Tropical Rose Sunpatiens. They are just sold around here with the summer annuals, I'm not sure who sells them online.

[@jeffhalterman4833]

Hi Jeff, I live in Dallas tx and bought a pygmy date palm about 4 months ago from fast growing trees. I have it in a terra Cotta pot and recently moved it into my greenhouse house now that it's November. It was a lush green like yours but now it has a hard to describe look. Sort of white on the edges of the leaves or weathered look. Maybe it needs more water? I am using a soil that is for palms and drain holes in the bottom. I'm not sure what's going on with it? Does it need some fertilizer?

[@ThisCallumPerson]

Spooky. This was uploaded around the time I bought my first roebellini

[@AyahuascaSage]

These plants are beautiful and I want one but I'm worried about my cat injuring herself on the spines 😓. She's super curious and used to chew on our fake Christmas tree all the time so I think I'll have to go for one like a ponytail palm that's less dangerous for pets.

[@dandiki]

6:13 i never know that kind of service exists! (definitely not in central europe)

[@TropicalPlantParty]

It's a very nifty service!

[@mariocardona15]

I just got like 5 of these! What would be best to plant them in a landscape

[@JerseyGardening2020]

Where do you do your gardening? Florida?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

I'm in St. Louis Missouri. All my tropicals have to go inside for the winter.

[@JerseyGardening2020]

@@TropicalPlantParty Same here too in NJ Subscribed to your channel. I have a gardening channel too.

[@heathersplants5708]

💚💚💚❤

[@NinjaOrchids]

Would the nursery have compensated you if the palm tree had actually died because of their lack of care?

[@TropicalPlantParty]

They would have given me a new one. They've killed a couple of palms before and replaced them. The problem with the pygmy date palm was that I asked them repot it for me when they took it in for the fall because it was extremely root bound and impossible to keep hydrated. They didn't repot it so it came back with three weak fronds and zero immunity from months of being malnourished. Apparently there was a gap in communication from the people who picked it up and the people who care from them and repot them, so it just suffered for several months. Two years later and it's looking much better! Still the weakest roebelenii I've ever grown. Practically just blow on this one and it throws a fit. Bad genes.

[@stuarthatcher9944]

😊❤❤🥥🍹

[@HoneyBee-zh9zw]

I hope I can return mine and get something else, I have grandkids and pets that get into everything, I don't need this kind of plant that needs my full attention so that no one gets hurt by it💔, what a disappoinment, it's a really beautiful plant, too bad it doesn't stay under 4ft😓🙄..

[@josueoropeza]

Are you in Florida?

[@LG-nh4bs]

Lay-os lol it's Laos